The Damned Child
by Rai Pager
Summary: Young APW, Kloe, leaves her friends, the Redrei clan, in the middle of the night. Leader Ruku and the others go search in for her but when they come across an old Milleitian friend, he tells them the real reason why Kloe is running.


_A Mabinogi Fan-Fiction_

**The Damned Child**

_Chapter I_

_"Have you ever heard of the 'Five-Hundred Year Old Child'? It was about a girl who granted herself eternal life and eternal youth. It may seem like a blessing to others, but to staying a child forever came with a price." - Page 1 of the picture book, The 500 Year Old Child_

_Monday/Baltane_

_Day 41;19:25_

Ruku could barely concentrate with Mel and Gi's drunkenly singing from the next room. Dae sat across the low round table from him, her heart still beating rapidly from the news they all received earlier that day.

After stopping Glas Ghaibhleann from turning all of Erinn to leveled rubble, restoring the Goddess statues, and months of rebuilding towns and kingdoms, it was best news they've heard in a great while. Emain Macha record keepers recently discovered that Ruku was a lost heir to a lost duchery called Tyiri.

He was the great-great-great-great grandson of Grand Duke Vinarini who ruled over the land. He and the rest of the population were assumed dead was after Tyiri was nearly off the map from the Mag Tuireadh wars. Since then, Tyiri was nearly forgotten about until Lord Vaeran presented him with an old map that would show him the hidden route to the town. He said he would offer him however much gold and workers it would take to revive Tyiri again.

Ruku unrolled the cloth map across the middle of the table and it released a musty stench in his and his beloved's face. He traced his finger around the map along the trails, routes he and his clan have traveled for the few years and practically know by heart, trying to find the hidden path. He didn't see it immediately until he realized an area was rubbed out east of the Sen Mag Plains.

Dae gasped softly. "Can't believe we pass by there all the time and never knew," she whispered.

Ruku replied, "It was long forgotten until now. We can be rebuild like new and make new homes and lives for everyone." He placed a shaky hand over the rubbed out area, "I still can't believe it. My past is here. The dreams. They weren't just hallucinations. They were telling me who I truly was."

He felt a soft palm along with a slight metallic chill covering over his knuckles. Dae's rubbed her right hand, that proudly wore the gold engagement, soothingly on top of his.

He calmed down and smiled, "And you still stayed with me after all that." He gently lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, "Are you sure you want to be a young Grand Duchess? I thought you hated the rich and royals."

"I do but maybe I keep you from falling into that stereotype. Instead of hoarding all the money for ourselves, we could build a homeless shelter and fund the healers and schools." She quickly stopped when she realized what she was saying. She blushed, feeling like a hypocrite, staring down at the floor, "With your permission of course. It is your land."

He leaned over the table and gently lifted her chin up, staring in her eyes. "For someone who hates wealth you sure have a lot of ideas of what to do with the funds, but they're good ideas. It's _our _duchary and with all the gold that Lord Vaeran promised us, we'll have enough for to pay the finest healers, build the biggest school, have best quality homes for everyone, and enough food for us to go through five, maybe even ten Samhains. And we'll still have leftover to go wherever you wish to go on our honeymoon."

Dae listened but she was more focused in Ruku's brown eyes, hypnotized into leaning toward him, her lips slowly nearing his. They were startled by a large crash against their room door. A young man with short, reddish-orange hair and an Imp stumbled into the room. Barely able to stand, the young man leaned in the doorway while the Imp sprawled out on the floor in front of him.

"What is this, a funeral?" The young man slurred then hiccuped, "Come on, guys! Come and try some of this great-tasting whiskey to celebrate our wealth!"

Gi, the Imp, nearly lost his footing again as he tried standing up again. "_**Our **_wealth? You weren't acclaimed a duke, Mel." Gi hiccuped, "Why-why if you were one, you'd be back bein' a penniless thief on the streets again."

Mel glared down at the Imp with one of his red-cracked, blue eyes open, "You think I can't duke, you li'l runt? I can do the do the duke and duke you out! That's for sure!"

"Mel! Gi!" Another young man pulled the two drunks out of the couple's room. Pho would have been an exact clone of Mel if wasn't for his black-purplish hair, skinnier stature, and wood-rimmed glasses. He bowed politely, "I'm sorry if these two disturbed you, Ruku and Dae. As you can see, they're going overboard with the Brifine whiskey that was brought up to us."

"Don't worry about it, Pho. We weren't doing anything yet," he glanced mischievously at Dae who giggled shyly. "We found out where Tyiri is so we'll set out to take a look first thing in the morning."

Pho nodded and tried to hide the sadness in his eyes, "Well, you won't have to worry about us but I hope you don't mind if we walk with you two one more time while we head to Dunbarton." He heard Mel and Gi gagging behind him and quickly dragged them to the water closet.

Ruku chuckled a little, then stopped when Dae stared at him gravely. "You're not just going to send them away, are you?" She asked, "After all they've done for us?"

"Of course not," Ruku frowned. "You'd think I'd turn my back on them after everyone else did?"

"No, I didn't think that Ruku. It's just that. . . you never mentioned where everyone else would fit in after that big announcement," Dae replied.

Ruku scratched his head then leaned into his head staring at the old map. "I'm still thinking on it, Dae. Over these few years, we've turned from warriors-for-hire to a close-knit family. They're welcome to stay with us but they just can't loaf about in the castle." He looked back up at Dae, "Any suggestions?"

Dae rested her head in both her hands. "Well, Pho likes to read and is well organized. Maybe you could have him as a library coordinator or have him keep track of town's records. Or he could be a music conductor. He does play his flute beautifully."

Ruku nodded writing it all down on a sheet of paper, "And what about Mel? Maybe make him a butler?" He chuckled.

"The way he drinks, I'd think he'd be a great wine taster." Dae giggled, "Or a treasurer."

Ruku instantly dropped his pencil arching an eyebrow, "A treasurer? You'd really trust him as that?"

Dae replied, "Why risk stealing from the money coffers when you're getting paid a huge amount anyways?"

"Yeah, but why not get heavy pay and take a little extra on the side?" Ruku flinched when Dae suddenly glared at him and held up his hands, "I was just joking. Fine, treasurer or wine taster for Mel. And what about Gi and Kloe?"

Dae tilted her head the other way as she thought. A cute smile curved on her face, "I can see Gi in a little suit and being our majordomo."

Ruku snickered lightly too, "We'd have to get him a tall stand easy for him to carry around. Maybe a get him a bullhorn too. And Kloe? You wanna make her captain of the guards?"

"I was thinking about her." She stared at the Kloe's room door across from their room, "Did you ever think about wanting children someday, Ruku?"

Ruku's eyes grew as big as dinner plates and a hot blush panned across his face and his ears. "Children? Now? Bu-but Dae, there's so much planning to do!" He stuttered, "We'd have to build up the castle before thinking of building a nursery."

He flinched when Dae reached and placed a cool hand against his cheek. She smiled, "I meant adopting."

"Huh? Adopt Kloe?" Ruku calmed down a bit, "Are you sure about that? I mean she's still a kid and all, but she did say she practically raised herself before we met her."

"But she has never gotten a chance to be a child. Sure she knows how to cook and protect herself from danger, but has she ever gone to school or played with children her own age?" Dae sat up straight, "Now that we have a place to call home, I say we should take her under our wings and replace her swords with toys and schoolbooks."

Ruku nodded in agreement but was mentally struggling with the idea, "But I've always pictured her more as a smart little sister than a daughter. She's pretty close to all of us but she's closest to you so I know she'd accept you as her mother, but it'd be kinda awkward for me. A father?"

"Ruku, you're kind, reliable, caring, nurturing, and responsible." Dae smiled, "All the good qualities of a great leader **and **a great father."

Hearing her words put him at ease. He leaned forward, touching his forehead to Dae's, and jokingly said, "Maybe I should leave leading the duchary to you."

Dae laughed softly and placed a gentle kiss to his lips, "No, I better leave that in your hands, Grand Duke of Tyiri."

While Ruku continued writing down his plans on paper, Dae took out her potion concoction kit out of her bag. The youngest member of the Redrei group, Kloe, an "APW" (All-Purpose Warrior), had retired early for the night saying that she had a tummy ache.

Kloe was only 10 years and already she was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, bladed and ranged weapons, magic, and alchemy, had been all over Erinn gaining an excelled intelligence, and her cooking was always exquisite. She had been with the Redrei clan, for good and bad, for the past two years and had a good relationship with everyone, but she was closest with Dae.

Kloe's good nature and bravery brought the curious, adventurous spirit out of Dae and she felt that she probably wouldn't have been a good healer and magic caster without her help.

Dae carefully poured the ground golden and base herbs into the flask of clean water. The combined herbs melted slowly until it turned the water into a thick, honey-yellow mixture. She added a few drops of ginger root as a final touch for better effect and taste. She stirred the concoction in the glass flash carefully and stood up, pardoning herself as she walked out the room.

Walking across the sitting room, she saw Pho sitting on the couch next to Mel, who was curled up and passed out groaning weakly, and Gi, sprawled on the cushioned stool, also out cold from drunkenness.

Pho exhaled heavily shaking his head. "They said they were only going to take a sip," he groaned. "Then a sip turned into two sips, then three sips, and then practically the whole bottle."

"They couldn't help it. It's a time for celebration and went a little overboard." Dae said, "As soon as I give this medicine to Kloe, I'll stir up some more for Mel and Gi, okay?"

Mel nodded once, "Thank you, Dae. Tell Kloe I hope she gets well soon."

Dae knocked softly on the room door, "Kloe, it's Dae. I've made some medicine for you. It'll make you feel better." There was no response. She put her ear to the door but couldn't picking up any noise.

She knocked again, a little bit louder, enough to awaken Mel out of his light sleep. "I put something in it to make it taste better," she added. "Kloe?"

Dae wondered if the girl had fallen fast asleep or was too much in pain to answer. She grabbed to doorknob and turned it slowly, gently pushing the door open, wincing at every creak the hinges made.

The light was still on when she entered the room and she knew it was empty before she saw the bed, still made and the blankets undisturbed. Dae heard curtains flapping to her right and turned, seeing the window wide open.

_19:40_

Kloe fell to the ground, panting. She had reached the halfway point, the logging camp, in Dugald Aisle. She stayed in the shadows of the forest, careful not to attract attention to the carpenters and lumberjacks still awake working under the night sky. Eweca was chasing Ladeca away as it rose in the evening twilight sky. The lunar beams illuminated Kloe's dark blue hair as she sat in a quiet, open spot in the small woods west of the logging camp.

She unrolled her map on the floral ground planning on where she should go from here. "_Wow, Ruku a Grand Duke. Who would've thought. At least his life will be much better from here on out." _She thought, "_He'll take good care of Dae, I know that for sure. And maybe he'll give Mel, Pho, and Gi good jobs in the castle, too. At least, I hope so. I don't wanna see them turn into thieves again._"

Her left ear twitched hearing something in the shadows sneaking up behind her. Tall grass and pink and white flowers rustled and crunched underneath the stalker's heavy steps.

She didn't make any sudden movement but carefully moved her hand to grab the hilt of the Gladi sword on her right hip, "_Again, the gods and goddess have looked down on Erinn and seen the heroic tasks of this young group and have rewarded them with wealth beyond their wildest dreams. And what good would I be to stand in their way?_"

She felt the stalker's presence on her left and she braced herself. She whirled around fast and a long, flat sandpaper tongue lapped at her face before she could draw her weapon.

"Huh? T-Bone?" Her Giant bengal tiger chuffed at her then nuzzled his huge head against her face. Kloe reluctantly hugged the big cat around his neck, "How'd you get here? I had you tied up in the stable."

T-Bone just purred and groaned contently, happy that he was reunited with his rider. "I'm happy to see you too," She rubbed her forehead against his. "But you can't go with me, T-Bone. You gotta go back."

She gently pushed his head away, standing behind him and pushing him in the direction back to Tir Chonaill. T-Bone peered back at Kloe, confused as she tried to shove his heavy frame. He rowled and went back to nuzzling her again.

Kloe commanded, "No, no, go back T-Bone. Take care of Dae and the others and keep them out of trouble." The tiger usually listened and obeyed her commands but, like all animals, he could sense something was wrong and couldn't bear to let her face the trouble alone.

When she tried to tell him to go back again, she got slurped in the face again or got a mouthful of fur. T-Bone shoved her and she stumbled back. "Alright, alright, alright! You can come with me!" Kloe glared up in T-Bone's gold eyes, "But you're not gonna like what's gonna happen next if we don't find that potion vendor along the way."

T-Bone laid down on the ground to make climbing up to the saddle easier. Only problem was there was no saddle. "Too late to go back now," Kloe said as she dusted herself off. "Maybe Belvast will have some for sale."

She swung her right leg up, hoisting herself on up the tiger's back, and he stood up on all four paws. Giving him light kicks to the sides, she guided him on the southern path.

Kloe turned her head staring sadly at the low mountains that hid Tir Chonaill as he trotted on the dirt road, then stared up at the sky seeing the sky getting darker as Ladeca descended behind the mountains ahead.

Shadows were cast from every rock and tree they past as it got darker. To Kloe, the shadows looked alive ready to turn into a horrifying monster and reach out for her. She yelped out, startling T-Bone enough for him to skid to a stop, when a sudden summer breeze flew by, flipping her robe's hood over her head.

She had broken out in a cold sweat from the scare, holding her hand over her chest and panting heavily to catch her breath. T-Bone gazed up at her mewing out worried groans. She calmed herself, taking deep breaths.

"Better find some shelter and quick," She tapped T-Bone's sides firmly and he went into a full gallop into the woods ahead. Even if she reached Dunbarton, she know that she still wouldn't be able to rest easy and would be afraid of darkness and the shadows that come with it for awhile.

[_Mabinogi and other related content is © Nexon. Kloe, Ruku, Dae, Mel, Pho and Gi are © Rai Pager._]

[_For more information on the Mabinogi world, beings and objects, go to __Mabinogi Wiki__. To learn about and/or to download and play the game, go to __Mabinogi __website._]


End file.
